I can't find another place to ask this/post this so I figured this is the best spot for it. (Seeing how I'm still new) I started collecting SW sets about a year and a half ago. Have a few UCS and some sets I've liked as a kid ranging from 2003-present. Seeing how I filled 3 6 foot shelves in a matter of 3 weeks I decided to be a lot more picky with the sets I buy. It's come to a point (which I'm sure most of you went through) that I want more than just SW so on the flip side I'm also a big fan of almost everything Marvel. So now looking at grabbing some sets from those series as well (May also start buying the CMF sets) so knowing that now about me my question is a mix collector/investor/reseller all in one kind of question. Trying to think of how to correctly word it so it makes sense.

So let's use the HulkBuster set as an example. I like it! I think it's cool and would want to add it to my collection/maybe also buy a few more for resell purposes. I'm like 80% collector and the rest is cut up into smaller things. for the first time I drove around and picked up sets from B&N for 50% off the other day (bought everything I could 1 of each for myself and the rest to hold till a later date) so my question for everyone is basically WHEN do you buy? And fight the I HAVE to have this set!! At the same time.. 29.99 price tag isn't a problem to me but on the flip side if I can buy "mine" at 19.99 and a few others around that price I would be even happier obviously. So what I'm getting at is do you guys just wait till Eol/clearance/double points/etc to buy the sets you want/want to resell? To think of waiting another 2 years to buy the set is a little silly to me but from the investing mindset it makes sense! Basically asking what is your buying habits (once every 3 months, only when things drop to clearance or a big sale, etc) looking for insight and best of both worlds! A part of me wants to just buy it and build it and display it...the other part of me says wait till its 25-50% off buy 4 and open one...I'm torn and need some advice! Thanks guys!!

There is a wide range of answers - each of which would be the right way for each person.

All arguments aside - If it works for you, it isn't the wrong way.

Remember that no matter when you buy, there will always be a cheaper option coming along at a later time (excluding $1 Spaceports or finding long-since-retired sets in an out-of-the-way store). So you need to have a price-point in your head at which you are comfortable in buying a set, and once that threshold is met, you buy. Couple that with having a "plan", i.e. a target number of sets you want to have, so that you don't spend all your money on just one set ("eggs in one basket"). Finally, many will point you to CAGR - buying sets early on in life will lower your CAGR compared to buying sets when they are about to retire.

I almost always wait to buy a set for my personal collection once it's been out for a while or I find it on clearance.  I've gotten in the habit of setting aside damaged boxes for my personal collection (thank you Kmart) which makes it much easier to pop the seals if I don't get around to it until it retires and has started to appreciate.  The only exception is if there is a set that I want multiples of for the pieces or I just want the building/vehicle.  Then I will buy it early to sell the minifigures while their prices are still high.  I did this for the UCS TIE Fighter and Temple of Airjitzu.

43 minutes ago, zskid00 said:

I almost always wait to buy a set for my personal collection once it's been out for a while or I find it on clearance.  I've gotten in the habit of setting aside damaged boxes for my personal collection (thank you Kmart) which makes it much easier to pop the seals if I don't get around to it until it retires and has started to appreciate.  The only exception is if there is a set that I want multiples of for the pieces or I just want the building/vehicle.  Then I will buy it early to sell the minifigures while their prices are still high.  I did this for the UCS TIE Fighter and Temple of Airjitzu.

So you bought the UCS Tie Fighter & sold the pilot? is he that valuable? When I buy a UCS I keep it all or it is no longer Ultimate

I think I sold him for $60 when he first came out and also got another $30 for Yularen which was the promo last May so I scored the UCS TIE for pretty cheap.  I may want another one eventually which I will keep the pilot for.  Otherwise I will just buy a standard TIE pilot minifigure for it.

I did the same thing when the Helicarrier came out.  I sold the set of minifigures for a decent amount to bring the cost of the ship down.